ABSTRACT
The study examined the influence of realia in the teaching of biology in the senior secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Five research questions were raised, while three research hypotheses were formulated and was tested at 0.05 level of significance. Survey research design was selected for the study. The population of the study consists of 26 Biology teachers in senior secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.
The entire population (50) of the study was used, this is because the study population was manageable. A Cronbach Alpha method was used for the reliability and reliability coefficient value 0.781 was obtained. The researcher personally administered the instrument to the respondents. The questionnaire was completed by the respondent were retrieved personally by the researcher. The study employed the descriptive analysis method, which included frequency counts, simple percentage and mean. Pearson Moment correlation method was used to analyze the hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance.
The findings revealed that the influence of realia on the academic success of students is high, as shown by various findings. Many students feel that realia such as artifacts or specimens greatly improve their understanding. There is a clear correlation between the availability of Realia and the quality of teaching and learning in Biology. There is a positive association between the utilization of realia and heightened student engagement and interest in Biology lessons. A considerable number of schools were found to be under-resourced, with deficiencies in essential realia materials such as biological materials, laboratory equipment, and visual aids. Based on the findings stated above, the following recommendations were made: Secondary schools should offer courses included in the training of teachers on how to implement realia in biology lessons. Learners can assist in providing some of the specimens used in schools by contributing towards buying them in order to reduce cost and also assist the teachers In secondary schools, the teachers can make use of any realia to communicate ( for example artifacts, thermometer and soil samples etc) and not only make use of the traditional teaching-learning media such as the chalkboard and textbook. The management should ensure that only those who are qualified and has a degree in Biology education be employed in the educational system. The biology teachers should very often utilize the available real objects for teaching Biology and the number and quality of Biology teachers available in schools for implementing the use of Realia into Biology lessons in secondary school should be increased.
